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KRG OPERATIONS STATEMENT
The KRG shall acquire data, conduct data analysis including translationsand transliterations into English, format the data for KAD web site and emails, ensure data quality, provide data storage and dissemination throughemails, web sites, forums, seminars, newsletters as appropriate. The KRG shall try to raise funds to donate to Gesher Galicia and JewishGen fortheir support of the Group as well as to pay for acquisition of docuentsof interest to the group.
GG has its own web site which provides information on the SIG, surname and town information and details on how to join the SIG. Do yourself a favor, go now to the Gesher Galicia web site to read more about the SIG and to join.
SUPPORTING JEWISHGEN, INC.
Since JewishGen, Inc. is hosting this web site, it is important that those of us who use this site to support JewishGen. Financial support can be made to JewishGen through JewishGen-erosity. Support in the way of contributing information and research assistance can be made to several JewishGen projects; Yizkor Book Project;Jewish Online Worldwide Burial Registry. RESEARCH PROJECTS
If you wish to volunteer some of your time as either or both a researcher or translator on any of the following research projects, please contact the KRG Coordinator. Provide your name, email address, whether you wish to assist with research, translations, or both, name(s) of project(s) you wish to work on, and briefly describe any research or translation experience that you have. If you have already performed research in any of the listed projects and would like to have your work posted on our web site, please submit a brief description of what you have to the KRG Coordinator. You do not have to be a member of the Kolomea Research Group to participate in these research projects. If you have an interest in any of the towns and villages that comprised the Kolomea Administrative District during Austrian-Hungarian rule, you are welcome to join the KRG. There is no cost to join. Please complete the Membership DATA FORM and submit it to the Group Coordinator.
LIST OF KRG RESEARCH PROJECTS
What’s in a surname? THE ORIGIN OF THE TOWN NAME
Several interesting versions of the origin of the town name, Kolomea, have been obtained. The versions are presented here in no particular order. Comments on these versions or suggested other versions may be submitted to the KRG Coordinator .
1. According to tradition, there was in Kolomea in ancient times a Roman settlement, Colonia; hence, the name Kolomea.
2. Another tradition claims that the town Kolomea was named after the Hungerian King, Koloman, who ruled at the beginning of the 13th century.
3. The name Kolomea is believed to be derived from Polish mountain inhabitants whose name for the River Prut was Myja and the Polish word kolo meaning near; thus Kolomyja (Polish spelling of the town) meant a town near the river Myje.
4. Another play of the Polish meanings of kolo and myje is said to have produced the name Kolomyja. Kolo in Polish can also mean wheel and myje means wash. The combining of these two words derived from the fact that wagons were run through the nearby river to wash the mud off the wheels.
5. The origin of the town name was a corruption of the Latin word columba meaning dove or pigeon. There were thousands of wood pigeons which frequented the forests of the region. These pigeons were also a staple of the local diet during medieval times.
INTRODUCTION TO SURNAMES OF INTEREST
SURNAMES OF INTEREST: If you have information or questions about the listed surnames please provide your name and email address and your surnames of interest to the Group Coordinator. You will be placed in contact with the appropriate Group member.
What impacts do marriages have on surnames?Our report Surnames and Marriage addresses this question.
View Kolomea Administrative District
Mapquest information. A map showing Kolomya (a variation of Kolomyya) in the Ukraine can be seen at http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlongtype=decimal&latitude=48.5333&longitude=25.0333. NOTE: This is not a live link, you need to enter this URL into your browser to go to the address. Once you reach that web site, there are several options for enlarging the map to see surrounding towns and shtetls and for shifting the locus of the map.
Towns of the Galicia Kolomea Administrative District
Alexander Sharon has provided invaluable information to aid in locating records of interest to the KRG.
The key to this information is the administrative system established during Polish rule over Eastern Galicia. See Restructured Kolomea Administrative District While Under Polish Rule for information on localities involved and locations of archives.During a visit to Kolomyya in 1992, Mel Snyder photographed some street scenes and points of interest. Mel has donated these photos for our web site. Set 1 and Set 2.
KRG member Charlie Roberts purchased a large post card showing a 1907 scene of Kolomyja Ringplatz. A reduced-size print is provided to give an overview of the scene. A full size print is provided to shown more detail. He has donated this postcard for this web site.
Mike Kalt has donated several interesting photographs that he took during a visit to Kolomyya in September 2000. His visited preceded one planned by the President of the Ukraine. In preparing for the President’s visit the exteriors of many buildings were renovated, but an old Jewish area appears untouched. Of particular interest are photographs of a synagogue in Kolomyya and of an old jewish cemetery turned into a sports field, and another Jewish cemetery used as a landfill.
Dr. Ben Nachman has donated some excellent photographs that he took of a Jewish cemetery in Kolomyya in 1988. The value of these photos is that they show the condition of the cemetery before it was completely wiped out by vandals and weather. According to Dr. Nachman, he believes his photos were of the cemetery described elsewhere on this Main Page as #3, U.S. Commission Report No. UA82220103 which was based on a survey conducted on 18 September 1996. There is panoramic view of the cemetery as seen in 1988. There is a closeup photo of a unique tombstone as well as closeups of other stones. There are more closeup photos of stones as well as a section of the cemetery wall as seen in 1988.
Background Information
Information about KAD and its towns’ social, economic, physical descriptions.May include abstracts of government and other documents listing surnamesof interest.
Pictures of old Kolomyja Town seals and coats of arms along with some photographs of the town can be viewed at another Kolomyja web site.
GLIMPSES OF LIFE IN KOLOMEA
The letters and documents summarized or presented in this section provide snapshots of the comings and goings of Jewish life in Kolomea (circa 1776-1918), Kolomyja (circa 1918 -1939), or Kolomyya (circa 1939 - Present). The KRG acknowledges with much appreciation the generous contribution of letters and documents by Rabbi Moishe Leib Kolesnik of Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. The Rabbi has been collecting such materials from all over his Oblast. The KRG Coordinator appreciates very much the volunteer KRG and non-KRG member volunteers who have contributed to the translation of the documents from Polish and Hebrew into English
The original language of the letters and documents generally is in the language of the times; German, Polish, Russian, and/or Ukrainian. The use of Hebrew and Yiddish may be found in all time periods. From time-to-time it is possible that the translations of terms or phrases may be in conflict between translators. In the very first letter summarized below the Polish term, Zydowska Gmina Wyznaiowa raised a controversy. The original translator came out with Parish of Jewish Denomination, but indicated that a lack of Jewish background made the translation suspect. A request for help on the Galicia message board received several responses. Major discussions were provided by Alexander Sharon and Brian J. Lenius and they differed in translation. Mr. Sharon applied a more liberal approach and said the term was, Jewish Community Council. Mr. Lenius applied a more literal translation and submitted, Jewish Religious Community. A Seal appearing at the end of the letter used the term Committee of... Since the letter was signed by the President of the Committee, the KRG Coordinator settled on using the term, President of the Jewish Committee in the summary of documents where that Polish term was used.
In order to conserve limited web site space in most cases only summaries of the source materials will be posted. If the source material lists surnames and the list is not too long, the surnames and related entries will be posted. If anyone wants to view the original material, they can submit a request to the KRG Coordinator .
LETTER FROM PRESIDENT OF THE JEWISH COMMITTEE IN KOLOMYJA TO THE PROVINCIAL OFFICE OF WORK FUND, STANISLAWOW BRANCH, 2 November 1935
The letter submitted a list of affected waged employees and apparently reiterated that the Jewish Committee as statutory managers of the ritual chicken slaughterhouse and the hospital is not responsible for insuring the employees against unemployment. The following lists were included:
LIST OF CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION TO THE JEWISH COMMITTEE COUNCIL, KOLOMYI (KOLOMYJA)
This document is undated and apparetly is submitted by the electorial committee. The copy received by the KRG Coordinator is of poor quality. Many of the words are illegible. The translator attempted to supply possible words that were missing to give meaning to the text. The list apparently was submitted by a Mr. Mojzesz Taubner, delegate, address Mnichowka 13, and a Dr. Agner, lawyer and deputy delegate, address Sheszkiewicz 3. The list follows.
GIVEN NAME, SURNAME, EMPLOYMENT, ADDRESS(All in Kolomyja)
1. Dr Salomon, Rosenheck, doctor, Kilinskiego 8
2. Izak, Baidaff, industrialist, Ewangielicka 4
3. Eljasz, Kriss, industrialist, Kosciuszki 15
4. Dr Maurycy, Goldberg, lawyer, Koscisszki 35
5. Jonas, Aszkenazy, merchant, Krasinskiego 16
6. Dr. Meier, Gelbart, lawyer, Pilsudskiego 23
7. Zalkie, Brandes, high school teacher, Mnichowka
8. Markus, Nussbaum, merchant, Kazmierz 15
9. Moses, Landau sysn Altera, industrialist, Kraszewskiego
10. Adolf, Kiesler, official, Kraszewskiego
11. Dawid, Wieselberg, bank director, Aleja Wonosci 2
12. Alter, Knopper, business man, Rynek 45
13. Jakob Simon, Reisel, industrialist, Mokra bocz. II. 3
14. Dr Marek, Knopf, lawyer, Kosciuszki 22
15. Samson, Iwanier, business man, Rynek 38
(NOTE: Some of the street addresses for the rest of the list are partially illegible. No numbers are shown. A partial name will be ended with a ?. Other names were filled in by seeking similar name in the 1929 Polish Business Directory, Kolomyja section.)
16. Isak, Grunberg, merchant, Legjonow)
17. Juda Kreps, official, Sobieskiego
18. Chaim, Ringelbaum, merchant, Legjonow
19. Mendel, Rosner, merchant, Kamionskiego
20. Froim, Kantor, merchant, Szpitalna
21. Mechel, Zimmand, merchant, Kosciuszki
22. Hersch, Langer, merchant, Sobieskiego
23. Leizor, Schmidt, merchant, Rydelo?
24. Melech, Preminger, merchant, Szaszkiewicza
25. Pinkas, Albin, merchant, Walowa
26. Mechel, Lipper, merchant, Legjonow
27. Dr Izak, Trauber, lawyer, Mnichowka
28. Dr, Dawid, Hammer, doctor, Krasinskiego
29. Hersch, Rechter, merchant, Rynek
30. Salomon, Scherr, merchant, Kosciuszki
31. Mendel, Grumwerg, tinsmith, Zbozowa
32. Selig, Friedler, merchant, Mnichowka
33. Zachariasz Mendel, Silber, merchant, Dzieduszyzkich
34. Muchim, Bilder, agent, Szewczenki
35. Eisig, Blaustein, merchant, Rynek
36. Mojzesz, Schneeberger, watchmaker, Kosciuszki
37. Leib, Nemeth, merchant, Jagiellpnska
38. Aron, Tanenbaum, bookkeeper, Szpitalonska
39. Mr. ph. Wilhelm, Neider, drugist, Pilsudskiego
40. Dr. Jonasz, Lewin, lawyer, Rynek
AGADAS ISRAEL NOTIFIES CHANGE OF ADDRESS
The signature on a letter to the Mayor of Kolomyja announcing a change of address for Agadas Israel is illegible. The change was from Kopernik Street 11 to Karpinski Place12. The letter is dated January 18, 1937.
NOTICE OF ELECTED OFFICERS IN MERKAZ RUCHANI
A letter written to Municipal Office of Religious Affairs by the merchant Markus Nussbaum of Sremka 2 dated July 7, 1933 announces that at a meeting of the General Assembly of the organization, Zerkaz Rukhani, Markus Nussbaum of Kolomyja was elected chairman, Moses Landau was elected Deputy Chairman, Eisig Blaustein was elected Secretary and Treasurer, Deftalego Sobla was elected librarian. A stamped Seal on the letter reads, Spiritual Center Mizrachi Organization
THE ARENDA SYSTEM
The arenda (a lease) proved to be both a boon and a bane to Jews in Polish and Lithunanian lands from about the14th century to around late 18th Century. Understanding the arenda system and arendars (those who purchased arenda) may go a long way in explaining the riches of some Jews in that period that was handed down to their heirs. It may explain the rise in anti-semitism during the later part of that period. In order to provide this understanding the KRG has commenced a research project on the arenda system. A report on initial findings can be reviewed at
The Arenda System. As new information is acquired the report will be updated.
CEMETERIES Information on four cemeteries that existed in Kolomea is presented below. There are alledged contradictory facts to the US Comission reports summarized below. Anyone who wishes to comment on this information or provide additional information on past or current status of these cemeteries or other ones that may be in use are invited to contact the KRG Coordinator . Before and after photographs of Jewish cemeteries serving Kolomea Administraive District Jews will be most welcome. They can be submitted to the KRG Coordinator.
1. US Commission Report No. UA08220101 on survey conducted 1October 1996. This cemetery was located at center of town , Lermontova Street. No other towns used this unlandmarked cemetery. The isolated urban flat land has no sign or marker. It can be reached by turning directly off a public road. Access is open to all. A broken fence with no gate surrounds the site. No stones are visible. Location of removed tombstones is unknown. The cemetery is not known to contain any mass graves. The municipality owns the site, which is used for recreational purposes. The pre-burial house contains sports equipment. The cemetery was vandalized during WW II. There is no maintenance and no structures within the site.
2. US Commission Report No. UA08220102 on survey conducted 18 September 1996. This cemetery is located at center near lake. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked cemetery. It is isolated urban flat land near water and has no sign or marker. It can be reached by turning off a public road and access is open to all. No wall or gate surrounds the site. No stones are visible and location of tombstones is unknown. Cemetery contains no known mass graves. The municipality owns the site and it is used for recreation. The site boundaries are unchanged since 1939. The site was vandalized during WWII. The tomstones were torn down during the period 1941 - 1950. No maintenance is performed, no structures exist within the site.
3. US Commission Report No. UA082220103 based on survey conducted 18 September 1996. This cemetery is locatedat north of town near School #3. The last know Sadgorskaya Hasidic burial was 1960. No other towns or villages used this cemetery. The isolated urban hillside site has no sign or marker. Can be reached by turning off a public road. Access is open to all. No wall or fence surrounds the site. There were 1 to 20 common stones none in origial location. 75% of survving tombstones toppled or broken date from 1930. Removed tombstones were incorporated into roads and structures. There are no known mass graves. The municipality owns the site and it is used for recreation. The cemetery boundaries are smaller than they were in 1939. The site was vandalize at times during 1986-1996. There are no structures within the site. The pre-burial house is used as garage and storage of sports equipment.
4. US Commission Report No. UA08220501 based on survey conducted 18 September 1996. The mass grave is located at northwest part near village of Sheparovtsy. The unlandmarked Jewish mass grave was dug in 1941. No Jews from other towns or villages were murdered here. The last known Hasidic burial was in 1944. The site is reached by turning directly off a public road. No fence or walll surrounds the mass grave. There are 20 tombstones all in original places. None toppled or broken and date from 1967. Location of removed tomstones is unknown. The site has signs or plaques in local language. The municipality owns the site. The mass grave is visited at times by tour groups. Some mainytenance is performed at the mass grave to clear the area. There are no structures within the limits of the mass grave.
Memoirs and Family Stories
First-person and third-person recounts of historical and contemporary life in KAD.
Lina, a native of Kolomea, recently turned 93 years old. At a recent family reunion she told KRG member Saul Zeichner about her early life in Kolomea and the need to flee to escape the ravages of WWI. Here is Lina’s story.
Sam Weiser shortly before he died in 1975 recorded several hours of his life history on audio tapes for his son, Alan. Alan compiled the transcribed tapes into an autobiography, Sam’s Legacy. Excerpts From Sam’s Legacy tells of his early life in Kolomea.
A 70-page book written in old Hebrew tells about life in Kolomea from its early beginnings to around 1912 as related by a son, Chaim Tzvi Teomim, of a Kolomea rabbi, Yaakov Teomim. Excerpts from the book are provided.
SELECTED HOLOCAUST ITEMS RELATED TO KAD
KOLOMEA HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS
A List of Holocaust Survivors who were former residents of Kolomyja is provided.
The U.S. National Archives has files of Manifests of Alien Passengers which include a large amount of data on the alien at time of entry to the United States. Refer to IMMIGRANT SHIP PASSENGER LIST OF NAMES to learn more about aquiring these important records.
KRG COORDINATOR CONDUCTS SURNAME SEARCHES If anyone is interested in having the KRG Coordinator conduct surname searches of the above databases and lists, contact the KRG Coordinator and provide: Your name, your email address, the surnames of interest and given names (if known), and the database(s) and list(s) you want searched.
The sages tell us that experience is the best teacher. Given that this is true, then it follows that genealogy research experiences from lots of people will teach us even more about how to go about finding relatives and records of our surnames of interest. With that motivation in mind this section will be devoted to the posting of individual experiences of our Kolomea Research Group members in the search for missing relatives and records. Positive and negative experiences both have value as teachers. Both will be posted as reported. Cindy Munns has a very positive story to tell. Here is Cindy’s geneaology story.
VITAL RECORDS TRANSLATION AID If you would like to make a contribution to this worthy cause or would like additional information, contact the AGAD Project/Kolomyya Town Leader.
The KRG Coordinator will conduct your surname searches in the following databases and lists:
1. Kolomea AGAD Vital Records Indexes. These indexes of birth, marriage, and death records are prepared by JRI-PL and at some point in time are posted on a web site hosted by JewishGen. Current records available for searches cover the period 1865 -1901.
Records for 1902-1903 will be indexed when $570 in donations are obtained.
2. Kolomyja Kahilla Dues Payer List 1938. This list is posted on the JewishGen web site in the database section under Holocaust.
3. Kolomyja School Enrollment Records. A database was procured for the enrollment lists of students in 1933-1934 at nine schools in Kolomyja. This database is currently unavailale elsewhere
4. Kolomyja Portion of 1929 Polish Business Directory. A database was developed to list the Kolomyja portion of the 1929 Polish Business Directory. The Directory is posted on the JewishGen web site as scanned pages. The Directory is setup alphabetically by business type. The database available only from the KRG Coordinator is setup by surnames alphabetically which makes searching for surnames much easier.
Additional Categories of Information
JEWISH RECORDS INDEXING-POLAND AGAD PROJECT/KOLOMYYA.
JRI-Poland AGAD Project/Kolomyya has contracted with archivists from the Old Archives (AGAD) in Warsaw to index a new batch of vital records covering the old Eastern Galicia area. There are over 38,000 birth, marriage, and death records from Kolomyya (Kolomea in previous Galicia era) and possible surrounding villages/shtetls spanning the period 1865 to 1903. As more records reach a 100 years old they will be moved to AGAD and become available for indexing.
A page has been setup to acknowledge and thank those who have submitted contributions. Refer to the list of KEY-CONTRIBUTORS.
After finding birth, marriage, or death records of interest in the AGAD Index, many researchers then order copies of such records from the Archives through special arrangement and cost with JRI-Poland. To aid researchers unfamiliar with the language used in these records, a Glossary Of Vital Records Terms is provided. KRG member Paul Auster, with inputs from KRG member Ron Lahav, has prepared the first installment of this translation aid.
YIDDISHLAND POST CARD LOCATION INDEX. Yiddishland by Gerad Salvain & Henri Minczelles, Gingko Press, Corte Madera, CA 1999 (English version) and Hazan Press, France, 1999 (French version) is a photographic memory of times gone by in a region designated by the authors in gray on the MAP as Yiddishland. The book contains 550 photocopies of Yiddish-theme post cards from around 1900 to 1945. Although most of the post cards are related to Yiddishland, there are scenes from far away places such as Brazil, USA, and Israel as well as nearby places such as Germany, and Holland. Two sample photographs are provided: A Group Of Children in the Carpathian Mountains above Kolomea and Jews In Kolomyya Welcoming Charles I Emperor of Austria/ King of Hungary. The Location Index was prepared to assist researchers in determining whether the book, Yiddishland contains post cards associated with specific places of interest.
The book may be available in public or privare libraries, on web sites like eBay and Amazon, and at the following locations according the the USA publisher:
Israel Book & Gift, West Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Jewish Book Center of Workmen’s Circle, New York, NY
Lower East Side Tenamant Museum, New Yor, NY
Mass Olit Books, Krakow, Poland
Yiddish Book Center, Amherst, MA
THE INDEX. The Location Index is sorted by location and listed alphabetically. To browse through the 11-page index click on a Page Number. A Legend for the Index is provided on Page 1. After reviewing a page, use your broswer BACK button to return to this page,
Page 1 Legend and A through Br
Page 2 Bu through Ki
Page 3 Ki through Lo
Page 4 Lo through Mu
Page 5 Ne through Po
Page 6 Po through St
Page 7 St through Un
Page 8 Un through Un
Page 9 Un through US
Page 10 US through Wa
Page 11 Wa through Zy
Alan Weiser |
